


March 27th, 2026

by fools_seldom_write



Series: what comes next [2]
Category: Political RPF, Political RPF - US 21st c., Real Person Fiction
Genre: Angst, Fix-It, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:42:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27184003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fools_seldom_write/pseuds/fools_seldom_write
Summary: They’ve been trying to pass Medicare for All for almost fifteen months now, and Bernie says something that he's been wanting to say for a long time, but has always been afraid to.
Relationships: Bernie Sanders & Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Series: what comes next [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1984279
Comments: 7
Kudos: 20





	March 27th, 2026

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like this is the appropriate time to once again mention that I don't know anything about America.

It’s past midnight at this point, and everyone else in the White House has gone home already. Only Bernie and Alexandria are still sitting in the dim light of the Oval Office desk lamp, both not just tired but exhausted, and yet too stubborn to call it a day. They know they would probably be more productive after a few hours of sleep, but they don’t want to take a break now. They need to get this done.

“I could schedule another meeting with Pelosi.” Alexandria says. She knows it won’t help, and she knows Bernie knows that too. She says it mostly because she feels like she has to.

Bernie doesn’t even bother to say that Pelosi is a dead end. She won’t budge. She’ll protect private insurance until the day she dies, or retires. Whichever comes first.

“I also have a meeting with Perez and Blake in two days.” Alexandria says. She knows that won’t help either. But what else is there to say?

Bernie already knows that. He’s aware of his Vice President’s schedule. They’ve discussed the best strategy for that meeting earlier.

They’re both silent for a few minutes. They’ve been agonizing about potential solutions for more than a year, they’re aware of how unlikely it is they would have a magical breakthrough now. It all seems futile. But surrender is not an option. They have to at least pretend to still look for a way, if only so they can sleep at night. The times at night when they aren’t working.

Bernie gets up from his chair behind the desk with a deep sigh and makes his way to the couch. It’s dark, but he’ll take the risk of stumbling before he’d turn on a light that would force him to look Alexandria in the eyes. She follows him, sitting down next to him, their thighs touching.

Bernie thinks he would like a drink. It’s tempting. But he knows he can’t, because he’s still on the job. It also means that he’ll have to say what he’s gonna say while sober, though. It would have been easier with a whiskey.

“We’re going to have to shut down the government.” Bernie says.

He doesn’t know what he expects. Alexandria should be outraged at his suggestion. Thousands of government workers going without pay, potentially for weeks? Workers who have families to feed and rent to pay? Workers who are going to be used to hold Congress to ransom?

Alexandria is too tired for outrage. She quietly leans her head against Bernie’s shoulder, and he wraps his arm around her. It would almost be cozy, if it weren’t for the situation.

“We don’t have a choice.” Bernie says, trying to convince himself more than Alexandria. “People are dying. They need healthcare.” He knows it doesn’t make it less despicable. Motive doesn’t matter when you deny thousands of people their means to live.

In the quiet of the Oval Office, Bernie is hyperaware of every sound coming from Alexandria. It still takes him a few seconds to realize she’s crying. He can’t blame her. He feels like crying, too.

It’s not fair. They won. They got the popular vote and the electoral vote. The people of America have spoken, and they want Medicare for All. They should be able to get it without a shutdown.

Bernie wants to blame Pelosi. He wants to hate her. But he’s too tired to hate anyone except himself.

This is the last resort. Shutting down the government is like admitting defeat. It’s telling everyone that they can’t get what they want through any other means. If the Democrats don’t budge, and that’s a realistic chance, then they can just quit. It would be over.

“I will talk to Pelosi again.” Alexandria says without moving even an inch from where she’s practically snuggled against Bernie. If anything, she gets even closer.

“You don’t have to.” Bernie says. He knows she knows she doesn’t have to. But he can’t just let her threaten the Majority Leader of the House with a government shutdown without at least offering to do it himself.

“You shouldn’t have to.” He adds, because that’s what he has actually wanted to say all along. She shouldn’t have to, and it’s not fair that she does. But his schedule is full for the next month, and they both know that the sooner they get this over with, the better. Maybe, if the Democrats do budge and they can finally pass Medicare for All, maybe then he can actually get a good night’s sleep for once. Maybe.

“I won’t disappoint you.” Alexandria says.

“I know.” Bernie says.

They keep sitting in the faint light of the desk lamp for what feels like hours. They both know that if they got up, the decision would be made, then. They want to stay in the last moment they have before that for as long as possible.

Alexandria’s phone rings. It’s Riley, and she tells him she will be home soon. It’s the second promise today that she’s not sure she’ll be able to keep.


End file.
